Little Lost Princess
by MinaP
Summary: After Stars, a new enemy arrives with a power the senshi have never before seen. A power that can only be fought by a lone girl...
1. Default Chapter

Little Lost Princess

AUTHOR: JediSenshi aka MinaP ainominako@hotmail.com

DISCLAIMER: Sailor Moon belongs to Naoko Takeuchi, Meiyo and other characters are mine. MINEMINEMINEMINEMINE! :)

READ ME: I used the Japanese names, so dub. people should get aquatinted with those, tried to be accurate, email me if you have any comments. ANY! Also, some of you will recognize the name Keiichi from Ah! Megami-sama (Ah! My Goddess) and the name Jachi belongs to one of my friends, too pretty to pass up :) also, Minami was one of V-chan's crushes in the Sailor Moon RPG and Arashi is after my online little brother.

WORDS YOU SHOULD KNOW:

daijobu= are you okay/I'm fine

tanjobi omedeto=happy birthday

odango atama=english version meatball head (odango-round dumpling thing atama-head)

hai=yes

iie=no

sugoi=cool

kawaii=cute

-chan(on end of name)=suffix of respect, although generally reserved for friends and children

-san(on end of name)=suffix of respect, one higher than chan

-kun(on end of name)=suffix of respect, generally reserved for men, kinda like sir.

-sama(on end of name)=suffix of utmost respect, used for gods and very, very respectable people (and in hormonal teenage girl cases, really cute guys! ^^)

-ani(on end of name)=big brother

dozo yoroshiku=pleased to meet you

shimatta=explicit along the lines of damn

youma=monster

gomen nasai=sorry

henshin=transform

fuku=outfit

Prologue

In the middle of Tokyo, unnoticed, a little girl about the age of four with long blonde hair wailed in terror and sadness. She was alone, all alone. Her mother and father were gone, and weren't coming back, that was all she knew - but it was all she needed to know. The strangers on the street passed her by, ignoreing the small girl crying at the side of the street.

All of a sudden, a woman stopped and stooped down to the child's eye level. She took the child in her arms and there, in the street, cradled the young girl in her arms. After a few minutes, the girl quieted some. Her wails slowly turned to sobs and hiccups and gasps for breath.

"Little one, where are your parents?" the woman asked. She had the kindest face the little girl had ever seen, and a melodic voice that made her feel safe for the first time in what seemed like an eternity.

"Gone," she managed to reply. "All gone," she shivered as cold suddenly envelopped her; a strange cold that froze her all the way to her insides. A cold quite out of place in the mid-summer heat.

"Poor, sweet little one," the woman stood, still cradling the four year old in her arms. "You're safe now. I'm Meiyono Hoshi. Let's go home and get you some food."

Meiyono Hoshi took the small girl home and made her some soup, rice and a simple seafood dish. The girl ate like she hadn't eaten in a week - and by the looks of her, it wasn't that far off.

"Meiyono-sama, arigatou! I've never eaten anything so delicious!" the little girl's arms wrapped around Hoshi's neck in a hug. Meiyono laughed with delight, for she'd never seen such joy at a simple meal. Hoshi loved children, and couldn't wait until her own arrived. The small child yawned in Hoshi's arms, and Hoshi could feel her starting to fall asleep. She took the little girl to her room and tucked her into the bed. Then she sang, all the lullabyes that her mother had sung to her, the girl fell asleep to Meiyono's singing, but she didn't stop.

  
  


A little over an hour later, the little girl's face lined with malcontent as she furrowed her brow in her sleep at the sound of shouts from another room.

"She's lost and helpless, with no where to live, no one to look after her!"

"We can't afford it! You have a baby on the way, and if fortune favours us, then it will be a boy!"

"How can you just turn your back on such a sweet little child!?"

"We're not turning our backs on her! The orphanage will take good care of her!"

"She's special! Can't you see it in her? She doesn't deserve to be tossed into a delapidated home with thirty other unwanted children!"

"Special or no, she can't stay with us."

  
  


***

  
  


So when the small girl awoke, she was in a different bed, in a different room, in a different house, miles away. This room wasn't as nice. It smelled funny, was much larger, not as clean and there were many, many more beds in it.

"So you're finally awake," this woman wasn't Meiyono-sama. Her voice was hard, her face harder. Her black hair, streaked with silver was pulled back into a tight bun. The woman looked as if she did not even know the meaning of kindness, and it almost made the girl sick to her stomach. "What is your name?"

She hesitated. The child didn't remember her name; she'd forgotten. She had forgotten her parents, her entire life up until that point. She'd never forget Meiyono-sama though. She knew she would never see her saviour again, but that kind woman would always be in her heard. Only four years old, and instead of being insecure, untrusting and secluded, as one would think abandonment would do to such a young child, she had developped a stronger sense of loyalty than most people get in a lifetime.

"Meiyo. My name is Meiyo."

Chapter 1

"Meiyo-san, you're so lucky!" Meiyo half smiled. She'd been hearing that phrase since she'd arrived a year and a half ago. The girl she shared bunk-beds with, Lana-chan, stuck her head down from the top bunk. Tomorrow you get a family- most people wait here years!"

Meiyo sighed. She hated to leave Lana-chan and everyone behind. She hated the fact that ever since the Aijono family had requested to adopt her, Lana-chan, a year her senior, had taken to replacing the `chan` on the end of her name with `san`.

"I'll miss you," Meiyo stated. "And the others-"

"Like you onii-san?" Lana asked with a sarcastic tint to her voice. She didn't quite understand Meiyo's relationship her one and only guy friend.

Meiyo continued, ignoring Lana's interruption, "And when I write, I expect an answer!"

Lana giggled softly. "I don't think I'll have much to say. Dear Aijono Meiyo-san everything's normal, same old horrible food, take care, Lana." they both laughed -still softly so as not to wake the other sleeping girls. "Can you even write Meiyo-san?"

"I'm planning on learning quickly," Meiyo replied indignantly. "Now quiet! I think I can hear someone coming!"

  
  


***

  
  


The Aijono family was easy to fit in to. Meiyo's exceedingly long, blonde hair and big blue eyes didn't even look all that out of place, as one of her cousins had blonde hair. It was a very close nit family too, something Meiyo appreciated. Grandmother, two children with spouses and grandchildren - the category Meiyo fit into- all lived under one, albeit big roof. And all of them were wonderfully nice, treating Meiyo like flesh and blood.

By the time she was ten, Meiyo had even picked up all of the family mannerisms. The only thing that gave any indication of something amiss was that Meiyo's hair was about two or three feet longer than anyone else could grow it - and it was still getting longer. Since her eldest cousin, five years older than herself and the only other female grandchild, was about to become a hairstylist, Meiyo got her long hair looked after well. Her cousin would always put it in a high ponytail, divided into three long braids. Once Meiyo's hair started trailing on the ground, her cousin Jachi added three odangoes to the three braids, since they had luckily come into style thanks to Sailor Moon.

When Meiyo was 18, she was proven an official part of the family. She got to continue the best tradition the family had.

"Tanjobi omedeto Meiyo-chan!" Family called as she walked down the stairs. Her mother and father were there, her father not even dressed, in a housecoat and bunny slippers with a mug of coffee, looking half asleep; her mother however was a different story, she looked like she'd been up for hours. Meiyo's uncle and aunt and grandmother were also there, looking like her mother, Meiyo's dad seemed to be the only one who wasn't a morning person. Jachi and Keiichi both had black hair and the same blue eyes, but Keiichi was a few inches taller, and built like an ox, whereas Jachi was slight and delicate looking. Minami had brown eyes, and was a tad shorter than Keiichi, but otherwise they looked more alike than the twins.

"Everyone, arigatou!" she smiled and exchanged hugs. Meiyo really treasured her family, they were her life. She loved these family celebrations so much, she loved watching people open their own presents as much as she enjoyed opening her own.

"Now for the presents!" her youngest cousin, two years older than herself, Minami announced. Her father laughed.

"Firstly, there's this, which was really already yours," he handed her a small package. Meiyo had no clue what it was. She unwrapped the blue paper to reveal a large jewelry box. "It was in your pocket when you were brought to the orphanage. They thought you were too young to have it. When you joined this family, they gave it to us and we put it away. Grandmother found it just last week."

Meiyo nodded at her father's explanation and then opened the box.

  
  


_A warm, loving woman smiled as she put a necklace with a silver, shining stone hanging from it around Meiyo's two year old neck. The woman chuckled a bit, in unison with a deep, male voice, somewhere out of view. The woman looped the chain around Meiyo's a few times, so the stone hung around her belly button instead of her knees._

_"Here you are my sunshine," she said. "This will always protect you."_

  
  


_The same woman, now crying and worried, her hair a mess, quickly took the necklace off the now four year old Meiyo and put it into the pocket of her overalls. "So no one will take it. Good luck, my sunshine."_

  
  


Meiyo stared at the silver stone pendant that had brought on such memories and blinked. These were memories of her past, something she had forgotten, or blocked out. She looked up at her parents, and grandmother and smiled as tears welled up in her eyes. They had given her a part of her history, something she'd lost a long, long time ago.

"Arigatou," she managed.

"Oh, come on," Keiichi, Jachi's twin, slapped her on the back. "Don't get all mushy on us!"

That broke the spell, the stone was a normal, semi-precious stone again. Meiyo took the pendant from the box, and put it around her neck; the weight of the stone feeling oddly familiar.

"Last but certainly not least," her mother started, "from all of us, your right of passage." Meiyo's eyes lit up as she remembered Jachi's 18th birthday. "Here's your money, now, your cousins have agreed to go with you-"

"Since when di-"

"ALL your cousins, and we expect you back here for dinner and cake and to show us what you got," her mother stated.

"Arigatou minna!" Meiyo hugged everyone and thanked them individually. Then, Meiyo grinned maniacally. "Now we shop!" She opened the front door and Minami's best friend was coming up the walk. Arashi-kun had been hanging around the house ever since he'd become friends with Minami six years ago. He had blonde hair, like hers, kept passed his shoulders, always held back in a tidy ponytail, and he had green eyes. Arashi always stuck up for Meiyo- said that fellow blondes should stick together.

"So here's the birthday girl!" he smiled at her. "I got you a present, but I ate it on the way here, don't worry though, I'll get you something this afternoon-"

"Can't talk, shopping!" Meiyo raced passed him, trailed by Jachi, Keiichi and Minami. Minami grabbed his friend's upper arm and dragged him after Meiyo.

"You're coming too," Minami stated.

"What's going on?" asked a confused Arashi. "Why are we all leaving? It's not even lunch time yet! I just got here!" Arashi stumbled along, arm still in the vice that was Minami's grip.

"Meiyo got her birthday present," Keiichi explained, "a shopping spree. And we have to go."

Arashi smiled. "So _you_ have to go."

  
  


After about seven or eight shops, Jachi, Minami and Keiichi each had at least one parcel to carry. Meiyo was skipping backwards a few paces ahead of everyone, trying to decide where to go next.

"Should we go for some accessories, or more clothes?"

"Meiyo-chan, look out!" Meiyo spun around just in time to smack into someone and get thrown backwards to land unceremoniously on her butt.

***

Usagi was going shopping with money she'd received from her birthday yesterday. Of course, Mamoru, Mako, Rei, Ami, Mina and the cats had come. Mako, Mina and Rei rarely gave up a chance to go shopping, and Ami, the cats and Mamoru had just gotten caught up in Usagi's usual enthusiasm. As they were walking by a shop, Usagi's head turned as a dress in the window caught her eye. She kept her eyes on the dress as she walked, and was about to speak up, when she heard one of her friends call out.

"Usagi-chan! Look out!" Usagi spun around and ran straight into someone walking the other way. She went flying backwards and landed on her butt. As she recovered from the initial shock, Usagi was presented with a new surprise. The girl she'd run into seemed to be Usagi's twin!

"Usako, are you alright?" Mamoru asked as he helped her to her feet. Usagi couldn't take her eyes off the other girl, who was assuring a blonde guy who was fairly handsome, but obviously smitten, that she was alright. The girl then turned to Usagi, and without really seeing her she bowed low. The three friends with her were staring at Usagi, mouths agape.

"Gomen nasai! It was all my fa-" Usagi's doppleganger stopped short as she caught sight of Usagi's face. The two parties just stood there, staring as they tried to find something to say in this odd situation.

"I'm Tsukino Usagi, dozo yoroshiku," Usagi bowed to her "twin". The girl grinned widely.

"I'm Aijono Meiyo, dozo yoroshiku Tsukino-san."

"Call me Usagi," Usagi laughed. "I think you have the right."

Meiyo grinned wider. "This is Chusei Arashi, and my cousins, Aijono Jachi her twin Keiichi and Minami."

  
  


This was insane, Meiyo thought as she grinned. This girl, Usagi, could be her long lost twin or something, this was one of those things that every adopted kid dreamed of. This girl seemed so familiar, they HAD to be related. "These are my friends," Usagi continued with the introductions. "Kino Makoto," she pointed to a tall brunette with stunning green eyes, "Hino Rei," a girl with raven hair that Meiyo had seen dressed in priestess' robes at the Shinto shrine, "Mizuno Ami," a girl with black hair so dark it looked almost blue, and blue eyes to match, "Aino Minako," another blonde, resembling Usagi and herself, however her hair was a tough lighter, "and Chiba-"

"Mamo-ani! It IS you!" Meiyo ran at Mamoru and jumped into his arms wrapping her arms around his neck, and her legs around his waist. "I missed you sooo much!"

  
  


Usagi's eyes grew to the size of beach balls and she almost choked as Meiyo jumped into HER Mamoru's arms. Everyone stared at the two, except Arashi-kun, who seemed to be shooting daggers at Mamoru.

"Well I'm not the one who stopped writing!" Mamoru usually didn't like such public displays. In fact, Usagi her friends, and Meiyo's friends weren't the only ones staring at the two of them. Usagi had no clue what was going on, and by the expression on Meiyo's family's faces, they didn't either.

"It's not my fault _someone_ forgot to leave a forwarding address!" Usagi decided to take action and went and wrapped her arms possesively around Mamoru's right bicep.

"Mamo-chan, you know this girl?" she asked, a bit of strain entering her voice. Mamoru, as usual was completely oblivious, but Meiyo released him from her hug.

"She was the closest I've ever had to family," Mamoru replied. "We were in the same orphanage."

"You were adopted?!" Arashi blurt out astonished. Jachi, Keiichi and Minami looked at him for a confused second.

"Oh!" Exclaimed Minami, Usagi could hear the lightbulb clicking on over his head, "it's never really come up when you've been around."

"But I'm at your house all the time!" Arashi protested, obviously outraged that such important information about Meiyo had been kept from him. Jachi, Keiichi and Minami exchanged looks with Meiyo and shrugged. Usagi could see why Arashi was surprised, they certainly acted like a family. Usagi's stomach took that moment to growl and let her hunger be known to the crowd around them.

"Anyway," Meiyo turned to Usagi. "You sound as hungry as I feel, let's go get something to eat and catch up on life."

"I don't know if I have enough yen for lunch," Rei spoke up. A few others echoed the statement.

"Well who's house is closest?" Mako asked. "I could make us all lunch!" she volunteered. Mina, Rei, Ami even Mamoru and especially Usagi perked up at this.

  
  


Soon they were all at Mamoru's apartment, Mina hanging off of Keiichi, and Rei hanging off of Minami, Ami was subduedly sitting in the corner of a couch, and Mako was in the kitchen making lunch. Jachi, Meiyo, Mamoru and Usagi sat on the other side, two cats, one black and one white, each with a crescent moon on their forehead sat in a comfortable looking chair near the end of the coffee table, they were introduced as Luna and Artemis.

"Do you want any help in there Mako-chan?" Meiyo volunteered.

"It's alright," Mako assured, "you seem to be like Usagi in enough ways that I don't want you anywhere _near_ the kitchen."

"Smart move," Keiichi called to Mako, "I'll help you, I seem to be the only one of the family who's inherited any talent for cooking."

Mako smiled, and Mina looked a bit but out, but she soon got over him and started fawning over Minami with Rei. Meiyo giggled at her older brother's discomfort at having two girls hanging off of him, and turned to Usagi.

"So, Usagi-chan, you still haven't told me how you met Mamoru-san," she said conversationally.

"I hit him on the head with," here Usagi paused to reminis, "oh it was either a crumpled test or a shoe," Usagi smiled, "I hated him, or at least I thought I did, for almost a year."

Meiyo sighed, "Ah, destiny," she smiled at the celing, then at Usagi and Mamoru beside her. "How did you figure out you loved each other?"

Here they hesitated. Meiyo could sense a tension coming from Rei, Ami, Usagi, Minako and even Mamoru. She glanced at Jachi across from her and Arashi beside her to see if she'd said something wrong.

"Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Kamen helped us," Usagi replied finally. As with any mention of the Sailor Senshi, Jachi's eyes lit up.

"Sailor Moon?! Sugoi! I can't believe it! _And_ Tuxedo Kamen!?" Jachi started into her `I idolize the Sailor Senshi` speel and the tense moment was over.

The group was still discussing Sailor Moon, and whether or not she was a ditz, when lunch was ready and Makoto and Keiichi joined them. "Holy cow! This is _delicious_! Kei-chan, did you even touch the food?" his twin asked with a raised eyebrow.

"It's my recipie," Mako told them, "but Keiichi-san added a few things that make it even better."

"Usagi, slow down!" Meiyo laughed as she watched Usagi all but inhale her food, "No one is going to take it from you!"

"She always eats like that," Rei said, rolling her eyes.

"Not usually that fast!" Mina exclaimed.

"Yeah, Usagi, slow down, if you keep up at that speed, you might choke-" Mako was interrupted as all of a sudden Usagi was enveloped by a pulsating black light. She screamed in pain as it turned to black lightning climbing over her body.

"Usako!" Mamoru was holding her head on his knee as she convulsed on the floor.

"Usagi-chan!" food went flying as Mina, Mako, Rei, Ami and Meiyo jumped to their feet. Meiyo knelt beside Usagi, the feel of what could only be described as evil making her gag. That evil was what was hurting Usagi, and it was coming from something in her pocket.

Without thinking, Meiyo plunged her hand into Usagi's pocket and her hand closed around a heart shaped object. It stung her hand as she pulled it from Usagi's pocket and flung it across the room. There were several strangled gasps as Mina, Mako, Rei, Ami and even Mamoru watched the heart shaped locket fly across the room. As it sailed, it took the black lightning with it, and Usagi fell unconcious. Meiyo bent over Usagi to check if she was okay as the locket bounced of the wall and onto the floor.

When the locket hit the floor, it opened and dark energy poured from it. Meiyo didn't know what was going on. Her silvery pendant started glowing golden, the rays fighting back the evil. She stood, and she was dressed in a black, silk dress that fell smoothly to the ground. It had gold trim on the hem at the bottom and at the bosum. At the shoulders, attatched to the black straps that held the dress up, were wide strips of cloth bunched where they were attatched, but eventually flowing down each side like a cape.

Meiyo held up the crystal as far in front of her as the short pendant would allow. Normally, she would have found it odd that there was four inches of thin air betweenherhands and the crystal, but it seemed natural now. A golden stream of light shot from the crystal pendant and fought back the dark energy that threatened her friends and family. The dark energy dissapeared, and the light, warm as the sun, cleansed the ginzuisho

  
  


_The giant shadow was invincible. It struch down the senshi without so much as a thought. The five of them lay in a circle, and in the center, Princess Serenity also lay dead, her hand clutching that of her eternal love and the cause of this war, Prince Endymion. The age of peace was over._

  
  


As the light stopped, so did the vision, and Meiyo returned to her original clothing. She managed a slight noise in her throat and then collapsed. Arashi caught her and cradled Meiyo's slight form as she cried for the destryoed kingdom.

"What the hell was that?!" Keiichi yelled angrily.

"Meiyo-chan, are you okay?" Arashi asked the sobbing girl as Mako, Mina, Rei and Ami all huddled around the unconcious Usagi.

"They all died," Meiyo sobbed, "everyone in the entire kingdom! It was totally destroyed! Even Seren-" Meyio hiccuped, "Serenity!" At that, the four girls and Mamoru looked at her in wide eyed astonishment

"You know what she's talking about," Jachi frowned.

"What's going on?!" Keiichi demanded. Mina, Mako, Rei and Ami all exchanged glances. They all seemed to end at Mina, who then stood.

"It's not something you would understand," she told them cryptically. Mina then went and picked up the locket, snapping it shut, "We don't even understand what's going on."

"You're hiding something," Keiichi stood menacingly in front of Mina, looming over her. Mina stared defiance up at him, not giving him an inch. Mamoru glanced at Usagi, brushed her bangs out of her eyes and stood. These girls were sisters to Usagi, therefor family to him.

"Stop," Meiyo managed. She took a deep breath to calm herself and stood, wiping tears from her eyes, "Kei-chan we should leave."

"But," the protest came not from Keiichi, but Minami.

"We should leave," Meiyo repeated steadily. She turned and smiled at Mamoru, their eyes locked, and he saw the newly acquired knowledge, "I'm sorry," It was not an apology for the behaviour of her family. Behind Meiyo, Arashi bristled.

Mamoru nodded sagely, and made a small bow, "I hope to see you again sometime soon," he said. Meiyo bowed back, deeper, turned and left; Jachi, Minami and Arashi close behind her. Keiichi hesitated a second, then joined them as well.


	2. Little Lost Princess - Chapter 2

LLP-2

AUTHOR: JediSenshi aka MinaP ainominako@hotmail.com

DISCLAIMER: Sailor Moon belongs to Naoko Takeuchi, Meiyo and other characters are mine. MINEMINEMINEMINEMINE! :)

READ ME: I used the Japanese names, so dub. people should get aquatinted with those, tried to be accurate, email me if you have any comments. ANY!

Chapter 2

"We managed to plant the seed undetected Sire, but something was able to destroy it in the final stage," A man with black hair, dressed in all brown knelt before a throne with it's back turned to him.

"So you were not successful in destroying the ginzuisho? You know what the price of failure is," a raspy voice came.

"Sire, it all worked perfectly-"

"Yet you failed!"

"Another crystal intervened!"

"WHAT!?" the throne spun around as the raspy voice roared. The man in brown pressed his forehead deeper into the rich, blood red carpet out of fear more than respect for his Overlord.

"I believe it was the Sun Crystal Sire. It is the only thing that could have stopped me."

The walls and floor shook and from nowhere, lightning struck, charring the man in brown, "The Sun Crystal has been dormant for years. Why would it have awakened now?"

***

As Meiyo slept, the crystal pendant around her bedpost glowed.

  
  


_"Did you hear that Luna?" a white cat with a yellow crescent moon on its forehead jumped from a low balcony down to a path in some tranquil garden. Meiyo recognized him as Artemis, the cat she'd been introduced to that morning. Artemis was joined by Luna, black with a crescent moon on her own forehead._

_"Hear what?" Luna asked._

_"The Queen, she's giving birth to twins!"_

_"Oh Artemis," Luna sounded exasperated, like she'd given the lecture before, "You should know better than to spread rumors. Next you'll be telling me the people of the Star Kingdom are negotiating a truce with Queen Serenity!"_

_"Well, I did see some odd people headed for the conference room. And they WERE dressed in black."_

_"Artemis, there are many people on this moon who wear black."_

_Several serving women dressed in the navy blue livery of the palace huddled around each other on the balcony above sharing gossip. "Did you hear? Queen Serenity really IS having twins!"_

_"Really? I wonder what she is going to do about the Kingdom!"_

_"See," Artemis whispered to Luna as the two cats, well within hearing distance, eavesdropped, "I told you."_

_"I don't believe it! How will we be able to tell the oldest from the youngest? Which one will rule?"_

_"Does this mean that the power will be spread out and we will have a weak ruler?"_

_Another serving woman came running up to the others, "The Queen she almost had a miss-carriage! She's lost one of the twins!"_

_"What?!" the serving women all gathered around the newcomer to force the details out of her._

_The two cats exchanged glances, "The Queen had a check-up yesterday, she and the baby, babies were in perfect health!" Luna protested._

_"I think this is more than it seems Luna."_

Time jumped.

_Queen Serenity cried out. Sweat was pouring down her face and her hair was disheveled. It was the only time anyone other than her husband had ever seen the Queen other than utterly composed. She was giving birth to Princess Serenity- and her twin sister._

_When it was over, Serenity was allowed to hold her daughters. "It's better this way," her husband choked out through tears, "the youngest doesn't have any of the power. She would only create conflict. With this, they will both live in peace."_

_Queen Serenity cradled Princess Serenity fiercely as her husband took the youngest to a private garden that few knew about, and even fewer were allowed to enter. There, in fine black robes, stood a man and woman, obviously of noble blood. _

_The man had sun bleached blonde hair, and the woman fiery red hair. Doing his best not to cry, Serenity's husband gently handed the baby to the woman._

_"Take care of my baby girl," he said, then bowed to the visitors, "I must see to my wife now."_

_"Do not worry, we will love her as if she were our own," the woman said with a kind smile. The King nodded thanks and left as the two visitors admired their new baby girl. A part of a truce between peoples long at war, the Moon Kingdom and the Sun Kingdom._

_"Do they realize the prize they give away?" the man, King of the Sun Throne, asked his wife._

_"Yes," she replied, not taking her eyes off the crying newborn, "but not in the way you think. They cannot sense our power, as we cannot sense theirs. This will be a prosperous treaty."_

  
  


Meiyo looked over her shoulder to see if she was being followed. She had a feeling that if any of her cousins, or Arashi-chan were to find out exactly where she was going, they would be less than pleased.

Meiyo anxiously pressed the button and waited for the elevator to reach the lobby. She stepped into the elevator and chose her floor; impatiently tapping her food as she rode. At the designated floor, Meiyo got out and went to stand in front of the door, debating a second or two before she knocked.

"Mamo-ani?" she called in quietly, so as not to disturb the other residents of the building. It was eleven o'clock in the morning, but that was still no reason to be rude.

Mamoru proved he hadn't changed much by answering the door promptly, neatly dressed as ever. Meiyo was willing to bet he'd been up since at least seven thirty in the morning, "Meiyo, I wasn't sure you'd want to come back here after yesterday. Come in."

"Arigatou," Meiyo stepped in, and then as Mamoru shut the door, she grinned at him, "Mamo-ani, wild, rabid, Canadian-dogs couldn't keep me away." Meiyo glanced around at Mamoru's spotless apartment. "Mamo-ani, yesterday..." she trailed off.

Mamoru sighed and scratched the back of his head. He looked torn between something, "Meiyo, it's not my secret to tell. Not all of it anyway," Meiyo nodded. She wouldn't press him, it wouldn't do any good.

"How's Usagi-chan?" she asked.

"Fine. Usako is strong," Mamoru smiled grateful and motioned for her to take a seat. "She woke up a little after you left."

Meiyo nodded, unconsciously playing with the crystal around her neck, "Good."

"Meiyo-chan, what is it? There's more I can tell," Mamoru put a hand on Meiyo's shoulder. She looked up at him gratefully, he'd always been able to read her emotions, and he'd always been able to help.

  
  


Usagi skipped along on her way to see Mamoru. Her mom had just finished baking some cookies and she was bringing them over to share with her beloved Mamo-chan. On her way over, she saw a confused looking Arashi.

"Arashi-kun, what are you doing here?" she asked him. Arashi jumped at the sound of her voice and spun around. he looked a tad disappointed to see her.

"Usagi-san," he sighed, "I was looking for Meiyo-chan. Her mother said she'd gone to a friend's house. I caught site of her heading this way, but I lost her. Honestly I don't know who she knows around here, and she would never have lied to her mother."

Usagi frowned, "Well, Mamo-chan lives just a block or so from here," Arashi frowned as well. "Come on," Usagi volunteered, "Let's go."

  
  


"-and the worst part, I think the baby was me," Meiyo was shaking by the time she finished explaining her dream to Mamoru. "I know they mean something but... Why did she give me up? The woman who took me in the dream, I'm sure she was the one who first gave me my pendant. The same woman who," tears started leaking out the corners of Meiyo's eyes, "who abandoned me."

Mamoru, sitting beside Meiyo on the couch wiped her face with his sleeve and pulled her into a hug, rocking her back and forth like a child. They remained like this for a while, until Meiyo's sobs subsided and she had herself under control. She took a deep, calming breath and pulled away enough so she could see Mamoru's face.

"Arigatou," she whispered, then sniffled, "you could always make things better."

"I'll always be here for you Meiyo," he told her assuringly. They remained like this, Meiyo drinking in Mamoru's strength, when Usagi and Arashi walked into the apartment. Usagi's cookie bundle hitting the floor alerted Mamoru and Meiyo to their presence. Mamoru stood to welcome Usagi as Meiyo turned to see who was there.

"Usako!" Mamoru walked up to her and gave her a kiss on the cheek. Then he bent down and picked up the bundle she'd dropped, "Mmm, cookies. Did you make them?"

Usagi glanced over her shoulder, Arashi was gone, "I- Ikoku-mama made them for us," she managed. Where had Arashi disappeared to? Meiyo came up and hugged Usagi. Usagi hesitated, then hugged the girl back.

"I'm so glad you're alright!" she sounded sincere.

"Usako, daijobu?" Mamoru put his warm hand to her cheek and looked into her eyes. His blue ones were filled with worry and love. Usagi chucked with relief. This was her Mamoru, what was she thinking?

"Daijobu," she nodded, giving Mamoru a hug, then she took the bundle from him, "Come on! Ikokku-mama said that the cookies were chocolate chip!" she walked over to the couch and put the bundle on the table. She opened the pink cloth covered in bunnies and crescent moons and handed Mamoru and Meiyo each a cookie, then took one herself. Mamoru sat beside Usagi, and Meiyo sat across from the couple.

"Meiyo-chan," Mamoru started after commenting on how yummy the cookies were. Meiyo stiffened visibly when he said her name, she recognized the seriousness of the tone, "I think you should tell Usagi about what you saw when you cleansed the ginzuisho, and your dreams."

"Right," Meiyo nodded, then she took a deep breath, "but this time I expect some answers. And ones I haven't already figured out for myself."

***

Arashi saw Meiyo and Mamoru on the couch, turned around and left. It was either that, or start a fight- and it just wasn't polite to start a fight with someone in their own home. He was certain that Meiyo would be very upset if he did. Arashi stormed down the street. He didn't know what to do. He'd had this thing for Meiyo for years now, but was too chicken to do anything about it. He angrily kicked at a rock, it bounced along and hit someone in the ankle.

"Gomen nasai!" he bowed as he apologized.

"It was an accident, it's alright," the woman had graying hair and soft brown eyes, "what did she do?"

"Huh?" Arashi looked up at the woman in shock.

"I can tell why you're troubled, it's clear on your face," she smiled kindly, "How did your girlfriend get you so upset?"

Arashi sighed wistfully, "she's not my girlfriend."

"Ah," the woman nodded, "Perhaps I can help you. I'm Meiyono Hoshi. Dozo yoroshiku."

***

"I'll have to talk to Luna about all this. That crystal and you, are somehow related to the senshi and the Moon Kingdom."

"You're going to make me explain everything _again_ aren't you Usagi-chan?" Meiyo asked with a resigned sigh.

Mamoru chuckled, "Would some ice cream help?" Both Usagi and Meiyo lit up at the words ice cream. Mamoru grinned at the girls' identical expressions. Twins reincarnated might explain a bit, and Mamoru had seen stranger things.

As the three of them left the house, Usagi's sailor communicator started beeping. On the other end was a slightly disheveled Sailor Venus, "We have a situation outside Tokyo Tower that requires your, uh... skills. Usagi-chan, get here quick!" then the transmission ended. Usagi and Mamoru exchanged quick glances, then ran to the empty elevator that was just opening. Just as Meiyo was catching up to them, Usagi pressed the button for the doors to close and she shut Meiyo out with a quick "Gomen Meiyo-chan, too dangerous."

Meiyo grimaced at the doors for a half second, then with a determined look, she headed for the stairs.

***

"Love and beauty shock!" Venus attacked, and the monster dodged easily. Too easily, Venus thought to herself.

"Oak evolution!" Jupiter, the fastest of the inner senshi, missed as well, although not my much, "Shimatta!"

"It's so fast!" Mars commented. The three inners faced off against the youma. It had once been a bush by the Tokyo Tower but once the sun touched it- the bush had become a youma and it had started attacking people screaming for the senshi to appear.

"What's taking Mercury and Moon?" Venus muttered to the others, "Okay, here's the plan, Mars, you attack left, Jupiter, right. I'll try and trap it with my chain."

"Got it," Jupiter said as Mars nodded. Venus steeled herself for the attack. She was quickly adjusting to the fact that once Usagi became the Neo Queen Serenity, she would lead the senshi.

"Go!"

"Flame Sniper!"

"Oak Evolution!"

"Venus love me chain!" it worked. The chain encircled the waist and arms of the youma. Its eyes flashed golden and the youma opened its mouth. A beam of golden energy shot at Venus. She dodged, but wasn't fast enough, and the beam clipped her left shoulder. Venus cried out in pain.

Jupiter and Mars grabbed Venus' chain as well and the three of them barely prevented the youma from dragging them through the dirt.

"Starlight honeymoon therapy kiss!" the youma was fast, but not smart enough to change directions and Eternal Sailor Moon's attack destroyed it. The youma screamed as it went out in a burst of light and reverted to the form of a bush.

Venus, Mars and Jupiter fell back in a heap. They looked over to where the attack had come from, and there stood Moon, Mercury and Tuxedo Kamen.

"Gomen for being late minna!" Moon smiled as she went to help her friends up.

"With you it's no surprise, but Sailor Mercury," Mars muttered as she picked herself up, "What happened?"

"I had to finish cram school," Mercury blushed.

"Who sent that youma?" Tuxedo Kamen asked, all business as usual.

"I did," the inner senshi turned to see a man in dark green pants and a matching green tunic. He also had green eyes, but he had dark brown hair.

"Who are you?" Moon asked as she and her friends went into fighting stance.

"All you need to know is that I am the man who will kill you, unless of course, you want to hand over the ginzuisho," he replied threateningly.

"How did I know that was coming?" Venus rolled her eyes. Everyone was always after the ginzuisho.

"You planted the dark seed in the crystal, didn't you?" Mercury was the first to put the attack the other day together with this one.

"No, that was my brother," he said bitterly, "and I will succeed where he has failed," he extended his left hand and vines shot from it. The senshi scattered but Mars, Mercury and Jupiter were caught. The vines grew around them and plunged into the ground, anchoring there as they lost their attachment to the man. The leaves of the vines turned towards the sun and visibly gained energy from it. They then used that energy to send electric currents through the senshi until the fell unconscious.

"Three down," he grinned, "and no Sun Crystal in sight. There's no way you can win! he laughed maniacally.

  
  


"Venus love and beauty shock!" Venus retaliated, trying to gain some of the ground the senshi had lost when that man attacked them. Meiyo watched, hidden behind a bush. He'd said something about a Sun Crystal, the name struck a chord with Meiyo.

Venus screamed as her own attack was volleyed back at her. Her shoulder, which must have already been injured, started bleeding, and Venus fell to her knees. Meiyo looked away. she couldn't watch her friends being injured like this. If only there was something she could do!

At that moment, a golden glow from her silver pendant caught her eye. She put her hand around the pendant to bring it closer and yet more memories flowed into her mind.

  
  


_"Here you are my sunshine," the warm loving woman, with fiery red hair -the same woman to whom the King had given his daughter- had just put the pendant around her two year old neck. "This will always protect you."_

_The woman straightened, "Are you sure this is wise?" her husband -the fair haired man from her dream- asked, "Giving her the pendant so young? Let alone before she has been given her memories."_

_The woman looked over at her husband. He was a man of great power and importance, his posture shouted it. It seemed his wife had a bit more power, "This way their powers will grow together. She needs the strength to help the others."_

_The man sighed, "the time really has come, hasn't it? _She_ has been reborn, and we will lose our daughter of over a thousand years to duty."_

_The two grown ups looked over at Meiyo, who had been contentedly staring at the pretty sparkly they'd given her, "See, she recognizes the Sun Crystal already."_

  
  


Meiyo blinked as she relived another moment from her past in less than a second. This was the Sun Crystal. The two adults had been her parents, for a thousand years, but who was the reborn girl? Meiyo flinched as she heard another scream. No time for analyzation, she could recall the memory at will, now was the time for action. She searched for a phrase, something to transform with. She stared into the crystal, and the words came. "Sun crystal power, make-up!" the rays from the crystal enveloped her in a warm light.

Meiyo finished her transformation and looked herself over. She had on black knee-high boots with a golden band on the top, her pleated skirt was golden, the ribbon-bow at the back white. The bodice of her fuku was jet black, and sleeveless. The bib attached to it was the same golden as her skirt and her gloves were black with a band of gold to match her boots. Her earrings, golden studs in the shape of suns, her tiara had a fire opal set in it and her black choker had a golden sun on it to match her earrings. Her Sun Crystal rested in the middle of a white set of wings that doubled for a bow.

Meiyo wasted no time, she ran out onto the plaza. Venus was unconscious now, although the other senshi were stirring. A battered Tuxedo Kamen was protecting a crying Sailor Moon.

"How DARE you attack Mamo-ani and my friends!?" Meiyo shouted, "You evil beings are entirely too arrogant. I'm gonna teach you some manners!" Meiyo looked over at the enemy. Frightened recognition showed on his face. He then disappeared.

Sailor Moon looked over at the newly transformed Meiyo in surprise. Meiyo rushed over to Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Kamen, "Are you guys alright?"

"Me-Meiyo-chan?" Moon stuttered, "What? Who? Huh?!"

"I guess we should have seen this coming," Tuxedo Kamen sighed. He got up from his knees. "We should go check on the others."

Tuxedo Kamen, half-leaning on Eternal Sailor Moon, went over to where Jupiter, Mars and Mercury were trying to untangle themselves, and Meiyo went over to Venus. Tuxedo Kamen and Moon quickly freed the three trapped senshi and went to see Venus.

"I think she's hurt pretty badly," Meiyo reported.

"Let's get her to my house," Jupiter said, "Mercury can look over here there."


End file.
